1862 New York ILLUSTRATED NEWS; Thomas NAST, Civil War, Sentry's Christmas, Rare

Description

This is the January 4, 1862 issue of New York ILLUSTRATED NEWS measuring 16 1/2" x 11" with 16 pages, many b+w engravings and advertising. Content includes Civil War coverage, literature and poetry etc.
The front cover is titled The Sentry's Christmas - Thoughts of Home. Illustrated content includes Falls of the Potomac, from the Maryland Shore; Capture of the Privateer Royal Yacht by a Volunteer Crew from the U.S. Frigate Santee; Boat Practice on the Potomac; News From Home - Arrival of the Post, A Scene Near Hall's Hill; Mr. A. MacMillan, The Great Skater on De Brame's Patent Skates; and Observatory at the Headquarters of General Morrell, Miner's Hill, Va. The rear cover has a cartoon titled The Christmas Tree of the Federal Army showing ornaments of prominent Confederate leaders and cities.
There is a double page engraving measuring 23" x 16 1/2" titled The Christmas Toast - "The Union Forever" drawn by T. Nast, Esq. "...In the center, Young America proud and erect, undismayed by intestine conflict or foreign dangers, looks kindly on the Nationalities and proposes the Christmas toast: 'THE UNION FOREVER' ...On the right of the picture, in the foreground, a Garibaldi and one of the Twelfth N.Y.V. (German) respond with earnest loyalty. On the left, a D'Epineuil Zouave (French) and a soldier of the 2th N.Y.S.M. take up at once the foaming draught and the inspiriting sentiment; whilst Scotch, Irish and people of all tongues, shout their earnest determination to maintain with their life's blood 'THE UNION FOREVER'..."
This rare Nast illustration was completed shortly before he returned to Harper's Weekly in the Spring of 1862.
A much rarer Civil War publication than Harper's Weeklies of the same period with rare Thomas Nast illustration.
Thank you.